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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
09:39
DNA Fingerprinting of Mycobacterium leprae Strains Using Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) - Fragment Length Analysis (FLA)
Published on: July 15, 2011
Risk factors for developing leprosy--a population-based cohort study in Indonesia
Mirjam I Bakker1, Mochammad Hatta, Agnes Kwenang
1KIT (Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen/Royal Tropical Institute), KIT Biomedical Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.bakker@kit.nl
Leprosy Review
|May 24, 2006
Summary
Leprosy risk factors include male sex, large households, and Mycobacterium leprae antibodies. Seropositive individuals and household contacts of multibacillary or PCR-positive patients face significantly higher incidence rates.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Leprosy remains a public health concern, particularly in island populations.
- Identifying risk factors is crucial for effective control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors associated with increased yearly incidence rates of leprosy.
- To evaluate the utility of serological markers and PCR testing in identifying high-transmission potential patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study in five island populations.
- Inclusion of index patients and initially symptom-free individuals.
- Analysis of risk factors including age, sex, household size, Mycobacterium leprae-specific antibodies (PGL-1), and contact history.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for M. leprae DNA in nasal swabs.
Main Results:
- Men had a 22-fold higher risk of developing leprosy than women.
- Living in households >7 members increased risk 3.1-fold; seropositive individuals had 3.8-fold higher risk.
- Household contacts of multibacillary (aHR 4.6) and PCR-positive patients (aHR 9.36) showed significantly increased risk.
- All PCR-positive patients were seropositive; PCR positivity suggests high transmission potential.
Conclusions:
- Male sex, larger household size, and seropositivity are significant risk factors for leprosy.
- Household contact with infectious patients, especially those with M. leprae DNA in nasal swabs, greatly elevates risk.
- Serological testing is a viable tool for identifying patients with high transmission potential, potentially breaking the chain of transmission.
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